Lemon juice has carbs...who knew?

[Anne50]

Well I'll be darned...Real Lemon Lemon Juice has carbs. It says 0 carbs on the bottle...but I guess it is wrong. Who knew? I have been putting it in everything from water to pop for taste and for its diuretic effect. Have had small to modertate traces of ketones in urine as tested with the Ketostix. I will try no lemon juice for the day tomorrow and see if it makes a difference.

Really bummed...,
Anne

[lisabinil]

Originally Posted by Anne50

Well I'll be darned...Real Lemon Lemon Juice has carbs. It says 0 carbs on the bottle...but I guess it is wrong. Who knew? I have been putting it in everything from water to pop for taste and for its diuretic effect. Have had small to modertate traces of ketones in urine as tested with the Ketostix. I will try no lemon juice for the day tomorrow and see if it makes a difference.

Really bummed...,
Anne

If you're interested I just posted an answer on the Atkins Induction thread you started.

[2big4mysize]

anything made from veggies and/or fruits will have carbs in it.

[Anne50]

Originally Posted by 2big4mysize

anything made from veggies and/or fruits will have carbs in it.

LOL..yea, bummer isn't it? And lemon juice is not even sweet!

[DizzyUpTheGirl]

hmm... lemon juice doesn't effect me really... ?

[metqa]

you said you only have moderate color on your sticks? Any color change means your in ketosis. the prize doesn't go to whoever has the most. I was told that if you produce too many ketones your body will try to burn those instead of fat as they are easier to burn. That's why we are supposed to drink a lot of water to flush them out so that our body will keep choosing body-fat to burn.

Unless your draining the bottle everyday, it is probably okay to have a splash or two in your water.

[flourchild]

As I recall, Atkins puts lemon and lime juices in the 'special foods' category during Induction because they can stall people. You'll want to watch your intake for that reason, not because of those sticks - which really have no bearing on whether or not your plan is truly working.

[lisabinil]

Originally Posted by metqa

you said you only have moderate color on your sticks? Any color change means your in ketosis. the prize doesn't go to whoever has the most. I was told that if you produce too many ketones your body will try to burn those instead of fat as they are easier to burn. That's why we are supposed to drink a lot of water to flush them out so that our body will keep choosing body-fat to burn.

Unless your draining the bottle everyday, it is probably okay to have a splash or two in your water.

I think you got a little mixed up there. Ketones are a by-product/or waste product when your body burns stored fat for energy.Go here for an article that will help you understand exactly what ketones are. Low Carb Luxury: Looking for Purple - Ketostix

[2big4mysize]

not sure who wrote that article but they got the biochem wrong.

yes ketones are the byproduct of the incomplete aerobic combustion of fatty acids when they reach the 2 carbon stage known as AceltyCoA BUT they exist in the body in 3 forms and only one form acetone is not used as fuel. The body converts the other 2 forms back to Acetyl CoA in the Kerbs cycle and makes energy units from it. muscles and the brain love ketones as fuel. the liver actually excretes ketones into the blood system so they can be taken up as fuel and used when glucose levels are low.

[Anne50]

Yes, I am aware there is no connection between lemon juice and being in ketosis, except that I was not sure if I was gettiing too many carbs which was keeping me only lightly in ketosis. However, after not using lemon juice for several days, the degee of ketosis has remained unchanged. So, apparently I was staying in ketosis even after a higher than 20 carb daily level.

[lisabinil]

Originally Posted by Anne50

Yes, I am aware there is no connection between lemon juice and being in ketosis, except that I was not sure if I was gettiing too many carbs which was keeping me only lightly in ketosis. However, after not using lemon juice for several days, the degee of ketosis has remained unchanged. So, apparently I was staying in ketosis even after a higher than 20 carb daily level.

How much were you having a day to boost your carbs that much if you don't mind me asking?

[metqa]

Originally Posted by Anne50

Yes, I am aware there is no connection between lemon juice and being in ketosis, except that I was not sure if I was gettiing too many carbs which was keeping me only lightly in ketosis. However, after not using lemon juice for several days, the degee of ketosis has remained unchanged. So, apparently I was staying in ketosis even after a higher than 20 carb daily level.

Glad to hear it wasn't causing a stall for you. sorry if I came across wrong. It just didn't sound you were using enough lemon juice to reverse your ketosis, and I didn't want you to deprive yourself.

BTW-lisabinil and 2big4mysize- thanks for supplying the technical details that I was too lazy to write

[Anne50]

Originally Posted by lisabinil

How much were you having a day to boost your carbs that much if you don't mind me asking?

I am not even sure how much I was using, but typically a large bottle of Real Lemon lemon juice would last me about two weeks. It is supposed to have about 150 servings or something like that...but I was using much more than a serving for it to last me only two weeks. I like the diuretic effect and how it makes pop and water more palatable. I lost over 100 lbs. back in 2002-03 and used it only occasionally, but would go through a bottle every 3 weeks maybe. I started using it because water seems so heavy, so by adding the lemon juice it was keeping my water consumption high. I weight in again tomorrow, so will get a better idea if it affects my weight loss. If there is no change from using the lemon juice or not using it, then I will experiment with another 3 day cycle using it and check again. I hope this helps. Take care and have a great day!!

Anne

[Amyb1569]

Lemon juice has thrown me out of ketosis before, just a small amount. I guess we need to be careful with everything, huh?

[Low Carb Mommy]

You have so much other things to consider with this WOE.....please don't obsess over a wedge of lemon. Enjoy your lemon and worry yourself over other things of more importance.

I think when things aren't going the way we think they should we look for every little thing to blame. Sometimes our bodies will just do what they want to do in spite of how perfect we are doing. Too much stress can effect your weight loss too. Be at peace and do the very best you can every day. You will get to where you want to be. Be happy and enjoy the process of become healthy.

[Meg41]

Well said Low Carb Mommy! A splash of lemon, a piece of SF gum..... we worry WAY too much!

[2big4mysize]

Originally Posted by Meg41

Well said Low Carb Mommy! A splash of lemon, a piece of SF gum..... we worry WAY too much!

actaully all it takes is eating one carb more then a persons individual tolerance to stop their Atkins weight loss so it isn't worrying too much. It is being acountable for all the carbs going in a persons mouth that allows them to see if they need to make any changes to their plan. sticks of gum add up as a patient of Dr Atkins posted a few yrs ago ( I can't link you to the site but you could google it). He posted Dr Atkins personally told him he was stalled cause he was having too many stix of sugar free gum a day.

watching our carb intake, testing to see by removing a food as Dr Atkins tells us to in DANDR if it is the cause of our weight loss issues are all important steps in becomeing life long goalies

[Meg41]

Always the Devil's advocate "A" piece of SF gum, we worry WAY too much.

[Low Carb Mommy]

The thing is that it's the same people that stress out about a piece of gum that end up giving up or losing it with a binge of some kind because they just can't handle it anymore. You just can't get that particular. If that sugar free gum is preventing a person from eating bad carbs then isn't that a better choice?

Sometimes (especially in the beginning) you have to do what it takes to get through. We do have to live in this world full of bad carbs. I know when I started Atkins, I ate Atkins bars every day to get through my chocolate cravings. Now that I am a year down the road and more in control I don't have to do that anymore. I never eat them.

If people would just understand that they can't expect themselves to be ultra picky with learning and eating this way they would set themselves up for better success. It's when people slam them for having SF gum or lemons in their water that they just want to throw their hands up and say "Well, if I can't even have that then forget it!".

Now, don't get me wrong. I am strict with my LC lifestyle. I don't believe in cheating every now and then because there is a price that you have to pay for that and it is NOT worth it. I just think that some of us that have been around for a little while need to put our arms around those that are starting out and help them with these small things they are stressing over and show them the bigger picture. I think there would be much more success in the end!

[seb]

Originally Posted by Low Carb Mommy

The thing is that it's the same people that stress out about a piece of gum that end up giving up or losing it with a binge of some kind because they just can't handle it anymore. You just can't get that particular. If that sugar free gum is preventing a person from eating bad carbs then isn't that a better choice?

Sometimes (especially in the beginning) you have to do what it takes to get through. We do have to live in this world full of bad carbs. I know when I started Atkins, I ate Atkins bars every day to get through my chocolate cravings. Now that I am a year down the road and more in control I don't have to do that anymore. I never eat them.

If people would just understand that they can't expect themselves to be ultra picky with learning and eating this way they would set themselves up for better success. It's when people slam them for having SF gum or lemons in their water that they just want to throw their hands up and say "Well, if I can't even have that then forget it!".

Now, don't get me wrong. I am strict with my LC lifestyle. I don't believe in cheating every now and then because there is a price that you have to pay for that and it is NOT worth it. I just think that some of us that have been around for a little while need to put our arms around those that are starting out and help them with these small things they are stressing over and show them the bigger picture. I think there would be much more success in the end!

Well said, Beth.

[2big4mysize]

nobody slammed anybody for a stick if gum or a lemon wegde. this OP posted about using lemon juice which she had orginally thought was carb free and consuming a bottle of lemon juice in 2 weeks whick works out to over 10 sevings a day of lemon juice which again she thought was carb free.
that isn't a little thing. and again all it takes to stop weight loss on Atkins is one carb over a persons individual limit. Some folk have a CCLL of just 25 carbs while other have CCLLs in the 100s. there is no way to know until a person reaches their CCLL how many carbs they are going to be able to handle so sweating the small stuff is important.
She corerwectly removed the lemon juice from her plan to see if it was effecting her ketosis just as Dr Atkins tells us to. it wasn't so she put it back just as Dr Atkins tells us to in DANDR. had it effected her then she would have needed to keep it out of her plan.

there are many long term successful losers who can't handle certain foods and have to keep those foods out of their WOE period so stressing over just a slice of that food was important for them.
If somebody thinks they are having a problem with a food no matter how little of the food they are having the correct thing to do is stop hasving it and see what happens period.

[Anne50]

Hi Two,

Thank you for your post. I am the original poster that began this thread in the first place. As you note, I am not obsessing over every little carb, however, it was the lack of correct information about the amount of carbs in the Real Lemon lemon juice concentrate that was confounding my ability to know how many carbs I was intaking on a daily basis. With accurate info, I can make informed decisions about how much of what food I want to consume each day and how many carbs I want. I have forgone the lemon juice the last couple of days and noticed that I a NOT in ketosis, so perhaps the lemon juice was not so bad. In irritation I finally sent the parent company of Real Lemon an email as asked them to tell me EXACTLY what the number of carbs is per serving. Please note everyone, this is NOT REAL lemon juice, just a concentrate. Once I get an answer from them, I will post the response. I do not want to be tripped up by hidden carbs in food. I also chew an occasional sugar free bubble gum just for a change of pace. I do not regard any food as strictly forbidden, rather I make choices based on the number of carbs I want per day and what my overall goal is.

It is up to each individual to determine what is "worrying wayy too much over" and act accordingly. That is the only way one can be truly in control and responsible for their food intake. We all have different tolerance levels for different foods and eating patterns. Finding what works and respecting one's limits and the food choices and eating patterns of others is important. I make no judgements about what works for another person, and hope I am treated the same. Just some thoughts.


Anne

[lisabinil]

Originally Posted by Anne50

Hi Two,

Thank you for your post. I am the original poster that began this thread in the first place. As you note, I am not obsessing over every little carb, however, it was the lack of correct information about the amount of carbs in the Real Lemon lemon juice concentrate that was confounding my ability to know how many carbs I was intaking on a daily basis. With accurate info, I can make informed decisions about how much of what food I want to consume each day and how many carbs I want. I have forgone the lemon juice the last couple of days and noticed that I a NOT in ketosis, so perhaps the lemon juice was not so bad. In irritation I finally sent the parent company of Real Lemon an email as asked them to tell me EXACTLY what the number of carbs is per serving. Please note everyone, this is NOT REAL lemon juice, just a concentrate. Once I get an answer from them, I will post the response. I do not want to be tripped up by hidden carbs in food. I also chew an occasional sugar free bubble gum just for a change of pace. I do not regard any food as strictly forbidden, rather I make choices based on the number of carbs I want per day and what my overall goal is.

It is up to each individual to determine what is "worrying wayy too much over" and act accordingly. That is the only way one can be truly in control and responsible for their food intake. We all have different tolerance levels for different foods and eating patterns. Finding what works and respecting one's limits and the food choices and eating patterns of others is important. I make no judgements about what works for another person, and hope I am treated the same. Just some thoughts.


Anne

Well said and please post the on the carb count.

[JLittleOne]

The problem with things like lemon juice is that a "serving size" is so small that companies can legally report 0 carbs in a serving, even though it contains about .5 g of carbs. When you consume 10 servings in a day that adds up to 5 carbs.

For many foods, the answer is to look them up in the USDA nutrient database online and get numbers for a larger amount than a serving. A cup of bottled lemon juice contains 15.81 carbs. If you are using 4 tbls per day-- that's about 1 splash in a glass of water -- that is 1/4 of a cup of juice or about 4 carbs.

You can find the nutrient database online here: Nutrient Data : Home. You can also download a copy to run on your computer.

Janis

[2big4mysize]

It is up to each individual to determine what is "worrying wayy too much over" and act accordingly. That is the only way one can be truly in control and responsible for their food intake. We all have different tolerance levels for different foods and eating patterns. Finding what works and respecting one's limits and the food choices and eating patterns of others is important.

well said.